The night Alison Lockhart walks in to Undisputed, she only wants to have a drink, celebrate a friend’s birthday, and forget about the newest guy her mother tried to set her up with. It's why, when the infamous Jay “The Hurricane” Hamilton—one of the highest-ranking boxers at The Underground—labels her a ring rat, she writes him off as just another guy with an over-inflated ego.

Only she can’t stop thinking about him.

Or his steel-blue eyes.

Or the apology on his perfect lips.

Their fall is fast and hard, but when Alison’s ex shows up and Jay starts keeping secrets, will they be able to find their way out of the nightmare?

I kept repeating it over and over in my head as I put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot. The whole way home, I constantly looked over my shoulder and in the mirror to make sure no one was following me. The drive was normally only fifteen minutes, but this one felt like an eternity since every set of the lights I came to turned red.

You’re okay.

I finally pulled up behind Undisputed and parked in my usual spot. Leaving my things on the front seat, I climbed out and made my way to the back door, my legs feeling unsteady with every step I took.

I yanked the door open and relief washed over me as I stumbled inside and bumped into an extra table Jay kept in back. The whole thing rocked, and the tray of glasses on top of it slid to the floor.

“What the hell,” Kelsey said, coming through the door, stopping when she saw me standing in a sea of broken glass. “Ali? What’s—are you okay?”

The moment she said my name, everything came undone, whatever energy or adrenaline I had used to get home was no longer with me. My legs shook, and as I began to collapse, she hurried to my side and caught me. “Jay!” she shouted. “Jay, get back here, now!”

A few seconds passed before he pushed through the door. “What is it now, Kel—Ali?” he said, rushing forward and taking me into his arms. “What the hell happened?”

I buried my face against his chest and curled my hand around his shirt, the tears flowing as a small sob rocked my body. I never felt safer than I did when his arms were tightly wrapped around me. I never wanted him to let me go.

“What happened?”

“No idea. I heard a crash, came back to see what happened, and found her. She just collapsed,” Kelsey said, taking a step back.

He smoothed his hand over my head, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. “Baby, what’s going on? What happened?”

The door swung open as Hollie and Vince entered, their eyes landing on Jay and me and then all the glass on the floor. “Lockhart, don’t cry, it’s just a little bit of glass,” Vince said with a laugh, but it quickly faded as he held his hands up. “Whoa, tough crowd.”

Hollie elbowed him in the ribs and looked at me. The worry was clear in her eyes. “Ali, what happened?”

The author of theBreathe AgainandBlinded by Loveseries, both written under the pseudonym, Emma Grayson.If You Say Sois my debut novel under A.R. Myles and my first standalone novel. I’m currently working on a few new novels as well as a new series, which is focused on single moms who are trying to make it in the dating world after being wronged by their loser exs.

Born and raised on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta, I reside in a small town with my family, my eleven-year-old son, and six cats. I love my romance with a twist of suspense, and when I’m not writing or reading or coming up with new plots, I spend most of my time binging all the shows on Netflix and drinking Starbucks coffee with my mom and best friends.

In life there are things that will never leave you and loyalty that can never be broken.

As a boy, Vincent Stern suffered abuse that continues to haunt him long after the physical scars have healed.

His hatred turned into a need for revenge.

That need turned into guilt that would never leave him, creating a darkness in his life, festering and tormenting his mind.

But with all his darkness comes light.

A woman he never even considered, could one day become his home.

Does she possess the ability to save him from himself?

Sometimes life makes decisions for you.

Isn’t it funny how things turn out when life forces your hand?

In tragedy you do things you would never see yourself doing.

Choices had to be made, even if she was too young to make them.

She will never regret those decisions, but she will also never allow herself to dream beyond the life that she has already resigned herself to.

Until one night, her life changes and with it, her heart.

Can they save each other and find the love they both deserve?

“Once again, this author has amazed me with her writing skills! Another masterpiece.”

“This author can make you feel so many emotions ranging from hatred to love, anger to sorrow.”

“Once again, this amazingly talented author has created a story that will draw you in from beginning to end.”

I’m ready to bring her home, but I find her passed out, sleeping peacefully. “Fuck!”

It takes me about five minutes to find her address. If people only knew how easy it is to find out everything there is about them, it would scare the shit out of most. Once I have her address programmed into my GPS, I start driving her home. Pulling up to her upscale townhouse, I exit the car. Opening the back door, I lay my hands on my hips and take a deep breath looking at her passed out. Now to get her out. I grab her purse first, digging for her keys. Then I walk to her front door, unlocking it and throw her purse on a small table in the entryway. Now, to retrieve sleeping beauty. I pull her into my arms, carrying her into the house. She wakes with her head lying on my chest as I close the door.

“Vin, where are we?”

“You’re home now. Which direction do I go?”

“Oh shit, I fell asleep, didn’t I? You can put me down here, I’ll be fine.”

I look down at her and maybe too roughly demand, “Where?!”

Her eyes get a little bigger, but she points to the stairs, “Second door on the right.”

I carry her to her bedroom and set her on her feet. She instantly takes off her heels and proceeds to remove her skirt. At first, I’m shocked, but then I can’t quit staring. She gives me a knowing look and smiles up at me when she starts to unbutton her blouse.

“Maybe you should wait until I leave to take off your shirt.”

She gives me a devious smile and says, “Why, are you scared? I’m not.”

Now she has me intrigued. “Maybe you should be, you don’t know me.”

“I know all I need to. I’ve heard about you Vin. The girls all say ‘Vin Stern is a man of mystery. The quiet one that watches but doesn’t touch.’ Why is that Vin? Don’t you want to touch?”

Her shirt falls to the floor and she stands there looking like sin. All legs, with a tight body covered in a black lace bra and thong. Perfection. She saunters to her bed.

“You don’t touch, but do you like to watch?”

She lays her body down in the middle of her bed, bending her legs and spreading them wide.

“I saw you watching me tonight. Is that what you’re into? Do you like watching from afar?” She slides her hand down her body and slips into her panties.

“Then watch me Vin. I know you want to.”

She looks directly at me and says in a low sultry voice, “I want you to.”

I’m frozen. I know this is wrong, I shouldn’t be here. She’s drunk and even if she weren’t, she’s Gabriel’s. Well not his, but she has been with him through the years as a regular. It’s wrong ten different ways but I can’t turn away. I continue to watch as her fingers pull her thong away to put her bare pussy further on display. She works her fingers over her sex just like she likes it and I study every movement. I watch as her fingers penetrate and how she glistens. The sounds of her moans are getting breathy, heightened in desire. Her hips raise off the bed as her fingers slide deeper inside her. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed. I couldn’t walk out that door if my life depended on it.

“You like this Vin? Do you like watching me pleasure myself? I’m going to cum so hard for you, baby.”

Her head falls back as she makes herself cum. I watch with fascination as her body writhes in pleasure. Once her body has come down from ecstasy, she looks back up at me with a smile from ear to ear.

“Was it good for you?”

I walk up to her and grab her hard by the back of her neck, pulling her up to my face. “Don’t fuck with me! You don’t know what lies beneath!”

With her still in my grasp, I grab her hand and suck her fingers into my mouth, tasting how sweet she really is.

I release her and start walking out of the room. I hear her laugh and yell at me, “I know exactly what lies beneath Vin. You’re just scared of letting him out to play.”

Written by Monique Orgeron’s eldest, most beautiful, and intelligent daughter. (My sister is going to hate this part.)

My mom happens to be the most caring, loving, and stubborn person I know, well anyone knows. She gives 100% percent of herself to everyone and has given up so much of herself for my sister and I. For twenty-one years she has poured her heart and soul into making sure we know that we are loved and that we can do anything we put our minds too, but it was about time she figured that out about herself.

Up until this year I hadn’t seen my mom do anything for only her, but this book has allowed her to travel the world through the pages of a book, make new friends, and feel the joy of doing something exciting.

There is a new light behind her eyes and it is just making me feel more joy than she can ever imagine. While she might be annoying most of the time, I am so thrilled that she is finally allowing herself to grow as a person and not spend all of her energy on her family.

It has been a long journey of self-discovery for my mom; she has gone from domestic supermom to domestic goddess throughout the process of writing.

We are so very excited and proud of you! I love you as big as the world.